A few inches below the cutting edge

'Today I'm going to make it simple and straight. No word play and non-linear narration. Everything is directly from me' - I thought. What a day has it been so far! Just now I got a few minutes to think about my next blog post. What should it be - a fiction or a non-fiction?

While I was immersed in my thoughts, I felt someone leaning over me and someone pushing me. Who is it? Shoot! I just realized that I am not alone. I am being surrounded by a lot like me. Like me? No! Not everyone. A few in my left are like me, but those in my front are different. Those at back? Let me check. Hmm! I can't turn. I am kinda packed here. Guess they are same.

Whatever it is, I have some time now to think. Let me think for a while. What it coul....Oohh! There is a jerk from the back to my left. It seems they heard the words "make it short". Ok, but the why are they disturbing me. Jerk in back? But I didn't move. So am I different from them?

Ok, don't get lost. Just think. Hey! This time a push from the front side of my left. Now what? It seems they smelt some new smell. Before I am back to normal a movement in the back right and left. All at once. Man! this is carzy. i can't stand. Why such a commotion? It seems there is something working above us and it causes everything. What the heck it is? I am getting disturbed a lot. I feel like running out of this place. But I canlt even move a nanometer. Where the hell am I? Is this some kind of concentration camp?

Suddenly a few to my left started discussing seriously about the finances and the weekend trip. Hey! what's going on? If I am left alone and pestered constantly how can I think? Hmmm... I believe its time and yes, I give up.

I am not in a good mood. I lost a great opportunity. Wow nearly half an hour of free time. I could have come up with two posts. A sudden motion somewhere from the underside of my back said that they have seen the words "Supercuts. We're open".

Ms. Janaki

Here is the situation on a Saturday afternoon. Bored with the usual countdown program, I am playing with the TV remote surfing channels. Next minute I see an old black & white tamil comedy film from the 50s. Something makes me to stick on to it for a while.

"Man! This ain't an old film, but a recent movie that talks about a period story in monochrome film" - I say to myself. "Keep the volume down" - says my mom from the kitchen. I start looking for the remote and I cannot find it. When I look at the clock it is almost five...and the end credits roll on. What a way to spend a Saturday afternoon! Sometimes surprises are not as colorful as we expect.

The above two paragraphs are totally my imagination. I have never experienced such a situation which I would love to. But, I can say a word. I was embraced by a wave of similar emotions when I read Devan's "Miss.Janaki". What I started as a safe-bet Devan's comedy, turned out to be an uncoventional romantic classic. I was completely bowled over right in the fifth page, where the story starts to grow. While I was wondering about the pace at which the story was moving at the end of first chapter, the second chapter was another surprise. Devan never writes an unusal story. He writes stories in an unusual way.

Fearing of letting out any spoilers, I am not writing much about Miss.Janaki here (afterall this is my maiden attempt to write a review about a book!). In a simpler way I could say, Ms. Janaki is nothing but an usual feel good romantic comedy with a Quentin style of screenplay.

The bunch of characters that the writer introduces in the first few chapters (for providing enough twists in the plot(s)) may seem to appear as sportspoilers that provide enough confusion and digression to the main plot. Again the smart story structure and intelligent narration reduces it.

On the whole the story of Miss. Janaki becoming Mrs.Janaki is one of the must reads for all Tamil book lovers.

Before I forget, did I say the title of the movie that I watched on that Saturday? BINGO! It is "Miss.Janaki". And a few names from the end credits. Story by Devan, Screenplay by Sujatha and Maniratnam, Dialogues by Crazy Mohan (ofcourse, the female protoganist name is Janaki) and Directed by Maniratnam. "Wow! what a team. Who said we don't have movies like Devdas and Parineeta in tamil" - I said to myself, when my mom told, "enough of day dreaming and go to the post office".

Yet another week ends

As the title reads...Nothing special happened this week - I thought to myself. With 'Pathshaala' flowing my headphones I was travelling in the usual red and white bus. Four hours of road travel to bro's place. Usually accompanied by Ilayaraja, Rahman, Vidyasagar and others.

Such visits fall once in two or three months and bring some change in the routine. This 'change' is similar to the soft voice of Chitra that you hear inbetween the loud and heavy vocals of Daler in 'Range De Basanti'. In otherwords, a welcome interlude. Be it a 'Finding Neverland' or 'Motorcycle Diaries', there is something instore for me in these interludes.

It's true we need such breaks, isn't it? But don't forget, you must hear Daler's loud vocals again to completely enjoy 'Rang De'.

Un-seen-of

Sahara Kulirkirathe...
Darjeeling Sudukirathe....
Erikinraen...Kulirkinraen...
Onnum Puriyavillai....

These words form the first stanza of the song "Anbe nee mayila kuyila..." in the film 'Ninaivirukkum Varai'. There is nothing great about the words or sounds in this song. Neither I have seen the visuals. Infact I wonder if there exists a visual for this number.

But this is one of the songs that my mouth often hums. Reason? May be the power of music to bring back your memories.. I was in my twelfth grade summer vacation waiting to get into some college when I hear this song first (This song was a filler in the 'Kathalar Dhinam' cassette that I got). Form then on, this started growing in me and after a couple of months I began feeling its incubation symptoms in me. Though it has been nearly seven years since the film got released, I am still humming this song when I walk, drive, take a break during my office hours, blah, blah...

Surprisingly, I never had the urge to see the visuals of this one and to be honest I don't want to see the visual for this song ever after, for the simple reason that the picture may diminsh my relation with the sound! Sometimes, we have crazy ambitions.

Guess who?

NOTE:Yes! I'm running short of titles for my posts. There is nothing beyond this fact for my act of using movie titles. Again, this post is in no way related to the Bernie Mac-Ashton Kutcher comedy.

"Can you stop at the snack bar?" She broke the silence. We never talked for the last twenty minutes after I picked her from the school.

Man! I'm in no mood to talk with anyone today. It was all because of the talk we had today morning. I am not against her. But she never understands me. I didn't say anything wrong. I really don't understand why she blows a big balloon now. All started today morning when we left home.

Only she started, "Have you been at Kay's home all night?"

"Yeah. I told you right".

"You never told me before. Why you didn't bother to call me? I got so scared. How can I know where you have been?"

"I thought I told you already. Anyways what's a big deal?"

"What you mean by what's a big deal? So you never cared about home and thought you can do whatever you want?"

"Do you hear me?" She shook me from behind. "I told you to stop at the snack bar three times and you now crossed it. Are you in senses?" I just now realized we are about fifteen feet away from the snack bar. I took a U-turn and reached it. Still I feel the heat in her words. Again I say I didn't do anything bad and neither did I tell anything against her. She has an attitude...always! Huh! If she can be caustic with me I'm no less than her. I have my own character.

"Why are you shouting like this?"

"Am I shouting? Yes I am. Hmm boys! I just asked why you didn't inform me that you will stay out yesterday night. Did I say something bad or did I scold you? You imm..."

"..Okay. Why are you making a big issue out of this?"

"Big issue? Yes here lies the problem. You have always taken me for granted and you are trying to ignore me and disregard me".

"Why are you talking like this? I thought its not a problem if I sleepover at Kay's home one night. Also we had this assignment...."

"Didn't you know I am not feeling well for the past two days? I got so worried when you didn't come after 9 and I had to call up everyone with my headache and stomach pain". She didn't say a word after that. It was silence again till I dropped her in school. When she got down I saw her eyes. Oooh! What an angry look? I have never seen such a stare from her before. It was red hot.

I almost burnt my hand when I touched the burning hot coffee. She saw me. Not with the same red eye. This angerless not so passive look is not new to me.

"Are you still thinking abt the conversation we had in the morning?"

I nodded. I almost made an addition symbol in the air.

"Does it mean a yes or a no?"

Silence.

"So you are not talking to me hereafter. Right?"

"No".

"Then why are you silent?"

"Nothing".

"See, I was angry. True. But you should be knowing why. If someone ignores you, how will you feel. That too if your most loved one fails to share something with you won't you get irritated? That's what happened to me".

"Sorry. I should have called you. From now onwards I won't do such mistakes. I was a fool to think you always took over me. And how are you feeling now?"

"I still have the pain, but bearable. Better than yesterday. Also, it is not a foolish thinking. Its my responsibility to take things over when you need me. There is nothing of the sort of dominance or control in any relation. Be cheerful".

I paid the bill and sat in the bike. After the coffee I feel my headache is better now. He still looked unanimated. Poor fellow! I spoiled his day. Blame me. I was a bit more than harsh today. Surprising. I was never so tough with him. Maybe the pain. This is not the usual pain. This made my day bad with the kids in the school also. Perhaps I should have taken a day off. Ouch! the pain got multiplied by n factorial when he applied a sudden break to avoid the pothole. God! Let this pain may end all the usual pains.

P.S: Hope now you guys understood why I gave this title to this post.